diff --git a/libtransmission/inout.c b/libtransmission/inout.c
index c79db6f2e..22b22e3b8 100644
--- a/libtransmission/inout.c
+++ b/libtransmission/inout.c
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ tr_ioWrite( tr_torrent     * tor,
 *****
 ****/
 
-static int
+static tr_errno
 tr_ioRecalculateHash( const tr_torrent  * tor,
                       int                 pieceIndex,
                       uint8_t           * setme )
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ tr_ioRecalculateHash( const tr_torrent  * tor,
     while( bytesLeft > 0 )
     {
         const int bytesThisPass = MIN( bytesLeft, (int)sizeof(buf) );
-        int err = tr_ioRead( tor, pieceIndex, offset, bytesThisPass, buf );
+        tr_errno err = tr_ioRead( tor, pieceIndex, offset, bytesThisPass, buf );
         if( err )
             return err;
         SHA1_Update( &sha, buf, bytesThisPass );
@@ -256,38 +256,19 @@ tr_ioRecalculateHash( const tr_torrent  * tor,
     return 0;
 }
 
-int
+tr_errno
 tr_ioTestPiece( const tr_torrent * tor, int pieceIndex )
 {
+    int err;
     uint8_t hash[SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH];
-    const int ret = tr_ioRecalculateHash( tor, pieceIndex, hash )
-        || memcmp( hash, tor->info.pieces[pieceIndex].hash, SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH );
+
+    err  = tr_ioRecalculateHash( tor, pieceIndex, hash );
+
+    if( !err && memcmp( hash, tor->info.pieces[pieceIndex].hash, SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH ) )
+        err = TR_ERROR;
+
     tr_dbg ("torrent [%s] piece %d hash check: %s",
-            tor->info.name, pieceIndex, ( ret ? "FAILED" : "OK" ));
-    return ret;
-}
-
-int
-tr_ioHash( tr_torrent * tor, int pieceIndex )
-{
-    int ret;
-    const int success = !tr_ioTestPiece( tor, pieceIndex );
-
-    if( success )
-    {
-        tr_dbg( "Piece %d hash OK", pieceIndex );
-        tr_cpPieceAdd( tor->completion, pieceIndex );
-        ret = TR_OK;
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        tr_err( "Piece %d hash FAILED", pieceIndex );
-        tr_cpPieceRem( tor->completion, pieceIndex );
-        ret = TR_ERROR;
-    }
-
-    tr_peerMgrSetBlame( tor->handle->peerMgr, tor->info.hash,
-                        pieceIndex, success );
-
-    return ret;
+            tor->info.name, pieceIndex, ( err ? "FAILED" : "OK" ));
+
+    return err;
 }
diff --git a/libtransmission/inout.h b/libtransmission/inout.h
index b2b0944cb..61bc2bc57 100644
--- a/libtransmission/inout.h
+++ b/libtransmission/inout.h
@@ -50,17 +50,11 @@ tr_errno tr_ioWrite ( struct tr_torrent  * tor,
                       const uint8_t      * writeme );
 
 /**
- * returns true if the piece matches its metainfo's SHA1 checksum,
- * false otherwise.
+ * returns 0 if the piece matches its metainfo's SHA1 checksum,
+ * or TR_ERROR_IO_* if there was a problem reading the piece,
+ * or TR_ERROR if the checksum didn't match.
  */
-int tr_ioTestPiece( const tr_torrent*, int piece );
-
-
-/**
- * tests the specified piece and uses the results to
- * update the torrent's "completion" and "blame" fields.
- */
-int tr_ioHash ( tr_torrent*, int piece );
+tr_errno tr_ioTestPiece( const tr_torrent*, int piece );
 
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libtransmission/peer-msgs.c b/libtransmission/peer-msgs.c
index 6ac4d527c..0ac5650bd 100644
--- a/libtransmission/peer-msgs.c
+++ b/libtransmission/peer-msgs.c
@@ -1455,14 +1455,16 @@ clientGotBlock( tr_peermsgs                * msgs,
 
     if( tr_cpPieceIsComplete( tor->completion, req->index ) )
     {
-        if( tr_ioHash( tor, req->index ) )
-        {
-            gotBadPiece( msgs, req->index );
-            return 0;
-        }
+        const tr_errno err = tr_ioTestPiece( tor, req->index );
 
+        tr_torrentSetHasPiece( tor, req->index, !err );
         tr_torrentSetPieceChecked( tor, req->index, TRUE );
-        fireClientHave( msgs, req->index );
+        tr_peerMgrSetBlame( tor->handle->peerMgr, tor->info.hash, req->index, !err );
+
+        if( !err )
+            fireClientHave( msgs, req->index );
+        else
+            gotBadPiece( msgs, req->index );
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/libtransmission/verify.c b/libtransmission/verify.c
index a5ce6a1de..6ff1f5cc8 100644
--- a/libtransmission/verify.c
+++ b/libtransmission/verify.c
@@ -90,8 +90,23 @@ checkFile( tr_torrent   * tor,
         }
         else if( !tr_torrentIsPieceChecked( tor, i ) )
         {
-            const int check = tr_ioTestPiece( tor, i );
-            tr_torrentSetHasPiece( tor, i, !check );
+            const tr_errno err = tr_ioTestPiece( tor, i );
+
+            if( !err ) /* yay */
+            {
+                tr_torrentSetHasPiece( tor, i, TRUE );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                /* if we were wrong about it being complete,
+                 * reset and start again.  if we were right about
+                 * it being incomplete, do nothing -- we don't
+                 * want to lose blocks in those incomplete pieces */
+
+                if( tr_cpPieceIsComplete( tor->completion, i ) )
+                    tr_torrentSetHasPiece( tor, i, FALSE );
+            }
+               
             tr_torrentSetPieceChecked( tor, i, TRUE );
         }
     }